1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a door and gate latch, for use on farms, ranches and homes in metropolitan areas.)
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates to an improved door and gate latch for use in and around homes on farms, ranches and metropolitan areas. There is a reassuring need for a simple and dependable door and gate latch, to keep doors and gates closed. In the past, thousands of devices have been introduced for this purpose. However, many of these latches presented structural complexities with resulting maintenance and operational problems. A large number of latches would not provide reliable security when used with large and medium sized animals. Still many other gates could be easily unlatched accidentally by animals, specifically gates featuring operational access from both sides of the gate. Limitation features are a factor in all latches however, failure to consider the fine line between reliable simplicity and complexity where animals are concerned is the reason for the problems I have quoted above.
The use of latches to secure doors and gates in a closed position is well known in the art U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,837; 2,759,752; 4,115,954; 4,870,782; 4,422,678; 6,422,613; 4,226,450; 5,284,370; 4,333,673; 3,720,431; 3,381,412; 2,746,783; and 2,538,398 provide a good representative example of the art for door and gate latches. Most of these devices perform at an acceptable level however, there may be a need for a device with a wider range of support flexibility that is easy to operate and is reliable. Most of the latches referred to above and many others I reviewed have in common a structural complexity that introduces operational and maintenance problems. Latches advocating remote electronic control devices that open and close gates without leaving a vehicle are not economically viable for most people. A significant number of latches did not have a reversible flexibility to function on doors and gates that swing to the left or right when being opened. The largest reoccurring problem areas were weak mounting devices and operational problems with enclosed parts. Containers enclosing operational elements and parts create early operational problems from rust, dirt and ice. Enclosed operational parts in container devices further introduce restrictive forces creating operational problems with outside latches in particular. Many latches shown in combination with chains can be relied on for economic or temporary solutions but can be awkward and cumbersome to deal with under the most ideal conditions and most important provide unreliable security with medium and large sized animals. Keepers and latches should provide a means to adjust the alignment between the latch bolt and keeper aperture. Operational parts are often easily and awkwardly exposed to wear and tear from larger animals. Bolts in particular cause problems early on when enclosed in tubular and other devices that rely on springs to provide movement energy. Many latches advocating the use of chains only were simple and economically feasible however, they would be clumsy and awkward to operate. Many people being small, older or physically handicapped would experience difficulty in operating many of these latches. Most latches failed to provide sturdy dependable attachment devices with features that would endure the stress forces imposed by large and medium sized animals. Handles were very vulnerable in a number of applications in that they could be accessed easily when larger agile animals stood on their rear feet studying themselves with front feet on the gates. Many latches introduced attachment devices with complicated means for installation on doors and gates. Other latches I viewed provided a limited range for use on gates produced with variations in construction materials.